Post gracious gifts of the Holy Spirit, newly baptized, served now in Chrismation, initially in apostolic times was done through prayer and the laying on of hands. But with the multiplication of believers and baptized outside the original form of this sacrament (of hands) has been replaced by the apostles and their successors, the anointing of the world (1 Jn. 3, 20, 27, 1 Cor. 1, 27).

In III and IV century rite of Confirmation has reached its full development and is composed of those elements is what it includes and is now: anointing of the Holy Myrrh - with the famous utterance of the words of hands - mainly in the Western Church - united in prayer and Sign of the Cross, sign of the Cross called the press in relation to the anointing.